Thursday, August 30, 2007

Whether you're athletic, out-of-shape, or just starting to make a positive change in your life...

Whether you're gay, straight, bi, questioning, non-committal...

Whether you're a Bear, a muscle cub, a gym-bunny, an otter, or none of the above....

Welcome! you're going to have a great time in class. You'll also be doing something amazing for your body, and you'll meet some terrific men.

Bear Naked Fitness meets in Cleveland, OH at the No Place Like Om yoga studio. Yes, we exercise bare. In the buff. Naked. We welcome all men, all body types, ages, colors, orientations and persuasions. If you have a quest to make your body better, you're welcome here.

Interested in joining us for a fun filled, sweat-drenching, muscle-pumping class? Check out our class schedule on the right and join us. There's no commitments - attend classes whenever you can! We supply almost everything that you need for class: DynaBands, Mats, Exercise Bars, and grips. Check out the small list of recommended items that you bring below. Classes are $10 per session.

Each class is 1-hour long. We will exercise (naked) to some great music that will put a smile on your face and sweat on your body. I'll make your body feel alive. During that time we'll warm up & stretch, work the body making it stronger, learning, less prone to injury and more flexible. We'll tighten your abs and your ass, and we'll leave you rested, refreshed and relaxed.

There's so many reasons! It allows the body to sweat and is more efficient at cooling the body. It allows your instructor see your body so he can help correct alignment problems. It creates a sense of community. And best of all -- it's fun!

Now you're ready for action. As you begin your fitness program, keep these tips in mind:

Start slowly and build up gradually. Give yourself plenty of time to warm up and cool down with easy walking or gentle stretching. Then speed up to a pace you can continue for five to 10 minutes without getting overly tired. If you can't carry on a conversation while you exercise, you're probably pushing too hard. As your stamina improves, increase the amount of time you exercise by one to five minutes per session. Aim for at least 30 minutes of exercise most days of the week.

Break things up if you have to. You don't have to do all your exercise at one time. Shorter but more frequent sessions have aerobic benefits, too. Ten minutes of exercise three times a day may fit into your schedule better than a single 30-minute session.

Be creative. Maybe your workout routine includes various activities, such as walking, bicycling or rowing. But don't stop there. Take a weekend hike with your family or spend an evening dancing at the bar.

Listen to your body. If you feel pain, shortness of breath, dizziness or nausea, take a break. You may be pushing yourself too hard.

Be flexible. If you're not feeling good, give yourself permission to take a day or two off.

What should you bring to class? Nothing is necessary, but here is a short list of things that you might want. All of these are optional:

A sweat towel - To assure that you have a good grip on your band, or to wipe the sweat off of your brow, a small absorbent towel can be valuable.

Socks - Bring socks that cover the ankle - maybe up to the lower calf. I prefer Acorn Unisex Versa 2-Way Printed Slipper Sox but any tall sock will do. We'll sometimes use DynaBands around our ankles. The band can pull your leg hair -- ouch! A simple pair of calf-high socks that you can quickly pull on will make your life pain-free.

A workout bag - to put all of your clothes in and a place to store your equipment.

DynaBands are an incredibly effective way to tone muscle, build strength, increase muscle balance and help with flexibility. They look innocent enough, but one workout is all that you need to realize that you're going to get a "BowFlex" workout while having a great time!

Here's a little info about DynaBands:

DynaBands are made of Latex. If you have allergies, we can special order some latex-free DynaBands. Please let your instructor know of your allergies so that you can be given a Latex-Free product.

DynaBands come in a variety of colors. In class we will use the Pink, Green and Blue. The pink is the lightest weight and offers the least resistance. The Green is for an average student. The Blue offers the most resistance. You can use multiple bands together to provide the optimal resistance for your body. You may find that you need a Green band for your chest work, but a pink band for your triceps. This is not uncommon. Do not be afraid to use multiple bands during your workout.

DynaBands will break down over time (due to moisture, sweat, sunlight, etc.) The proper way to store Dynabands are in a box with just a little bit of talc powder. Place the bands in the box when you're done with them, add a little bit of powder, place the lid on the box and shake. That's all!

DynaBands have an amazing capacity to sttttrrrrrreeeeettttcccchhh! A 5-ft band will stretch up to 15 ft or more. The best part is that a band that "snaps" doesn't hurt and won't hard you. The resulting snap might startle you, but the band won't hurt.

DynaBands can be used on every part of your body; if there's a muscle, we can work it with a DynaBand! Even routine exercises can be made more challenging and exciting with the use of a DynaBand. You can even use a partner in your DynaBand workout. Depending upon the class, we may incorporate some partner band work to make your workout more exciting!